PASADENA – Texas quarterback Colt McCoy popped up and shook his record-setting right arm after sustaining a big hit early in the BCS national championship game.

Nothing about the play was unusual until he walked to the sideline and backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert ran onto the Rose Bowl field and called a timeout. McCoy had trainers examine his shoulder, the one that made him the winningest quarterback in NCAA history.

Then he went to the locker room and never returned.

McCoy was injured on his fifth play from scrimmage in the first quarter, and just like that his prolific career was over. Alabama held off a late Texas rally and won 37-21.

Alabama ran out to a 24-6 halftime lead while McCoy had X-rays, which were negative, in the locker room. McCoy came back on the field in the second half, although the extent of his injury wasn’t revealed. Officials didn’t even announce he was out for good until the third quarter had started.

McCoy wasn’t wearing a sling on the sideline either, perhaps not to startle any NFL general managers for the upcoming draft in April. He still had his uniform on and donned a headset like any other backup quarterback.

Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus knocked McCoy out of the game with the bruising hit, but McCoy still held onto the ball after no gain. McCoy ran the option and cut back up the middle and when he did, Dareus made the jarring hit.

In his final game, McCoy completed just two passes for nine yards.

McCoy’s backup, Gilbert, had a rocky first half, not uncommon for a freshman was thrust onto the biggest stage in college football, thanks to Dareus.

“It was a great hit on Colt McCoy,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said at halftime. “He’s a great player, and it sort of made them change their offense.”

McCoy finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting this year and second last year. He won 45 games in 53 starts. He was a redshirt quarterback on Texas’ national championship team that beat USC at the Rose Bowl in 2006.

This year, McCoy cleaned up in the awards department. He won the Maxwell, Davey O’Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards.

Gilbert got things going in the second half, but he struggled early. In the first half, he completed just one of 10 passes and threw two interceptions. He threw a shovel pass in traffic that was intended for receiver D.J. Monroe, but Monroe bobbled it and it was intercepted by Dareus.

Dareus stepped out of several tackles on his way to a 28-yard return for a touchdown. Gilbert was hanging his head after the score gave Alabama a 24-6 halftime lead.

During the third quarter, Texas fans started chanting “Gilbert! Gilbert!”